What's Next?
When the church elders learned that I was concluding my work for the Presbytery of Lake Michigan last summer and that I might be interested in serving the Pine Island Church, we talked. The Session contracted with me to serve as temporary pastor of the Pine Island Church in a part time capacity. What a joy it has been for me to regularly lead worship and engage in parish life again. What a year it has been as our government spirals further and further into crisis! What an encouragement it was to read and discuss with the men's fellowship Walter Brueggemann's book "Interrupt the Silence, God's Command to Speak Out." What a comfort it has been to commiserate and speak out together. What fun we had adding some special readings and drama to our Advent worship and shared Christmas Eve with the members of North Presbyterian Church. We shared some leadership with North Presbyterian a time or two, exploring a new pattern of church leadership. We learned some new songs, we addressed the climate crisis at three outdoor services. We also took a hard look at our congregation's situation and determined to explore our future options, at least as we could see them. We explored the possibility of sharing a pastor with neighboring churches, then merger with Westminster or First Presbyterian Churches, and finally determined to focus on First Presbyterian Kalamazoo as a merger partner.
Now after 14 months, it is time for me to fully retire. This Sunday will be my last leading you in worship. My final sermon this coming Sunday is entitled, "When Life Gives You a Red Light." While we get anxious to move on, you'll have to wait a bit longer. Details of the merger with First Presbyterian need to be finalized, aided by an Administrative Commission appointed by the Presbytery. The Pine Island and First Presbyterian Sessions have formally formed a transition team. This team will be meeting Wednesday afternoon as this message is being sent. The weeks to come will provide opportunity to get to know some of First Presbyterian's leaders a bit better, before a final decision and merger.
I thank you for providing me a transition toward a slower pace. This past year working part time, afforded me time to focus on my physical conditioning and health. I began a much more disciplined exercise routine with some tangible results. My blood pressure was 104 over 60 the other day in contrast to 142 over 92 last June. I'm now running as well as walking in the mornings, and reached a goal of 100 push ups and 50 sit ups. Last summer, I could do just a couple. I've lost a few pounds and gained a lot of muscle. I feel better and am stronger than I've been since coaching a church basketball team in Erie 23 years ago. I plan to continue a more active lifestyle in retirement. So thank you for this year of transition. Ministering with you has allowed me to slow down, and still be engaged with purpose. Now what?
What's next for me in my retirement? Eileen and I will remain in our home. We love it here. Our daughters are established here. I will volunteer with AACORN Farm where my daughter Leana works. This nonprofit organization provides support, community, and purpose for those living with autism. They raise goats, chickens and vegetables, engage in cottage industries of making soap and cheese with the goat's milk, sell the eggs and vegetables. They just bought 40 acres from Tillers International in Scotts, and moved in January. I've used some of my free time this spring to scrape and paint the corn crib and another small out building. The former is used to store their work tools, the later has been transformed into a farm stand for the sale of their produce and products. Neighbors can pick up fresh produce during the harvest season. The ambiance, smell and feel of sitting in the shade of the corn crib resting and eating lunch resonated deeply with me, calling me back to my roots, when I worked on such a small farm in my youth. I care deeply about sustainable agriculture. ACCORN has just broke ground for a new activity building. Presently they are utilizing space at Tillers International, their neighbor and partner organization for their program space. They will hold a fundraising gala at KIA, Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, 7 to 9 next Thursday, October 3. If you are interested in going, tickets are $35. Eileen will be one of the speakers, sharing what AACORN has meant to our family.
A few years ago while attending a CREDO retreat for executive ministers, when instructed to consider a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal), one which would require working with others, I knew that goal would have something to do with environmental stewardship. I have been gardening in my free time ever since. Volunteering with AACORN and Hope Garden will address that goal. Last week while hosting Jaff Bamenjo, we toured Tillers International. This also is an organization which shares my agricultural convictions and values. Tillers will also be on my volunteer radar.
Writing is a good discipline for me. I've enjoyed writing this blog. I'm considering writing a new blog, maybe with a focus on transitioning to retirement, or on gardening and spirituality.
I plan to be active politically for the 2020 election, canvassing to get out the vote. Our democratic responsibility as citizens is always important, too often taken for granted and dismissed. But has there ever been a more consequential election?
But before all that, I have some short term projects in mind at the house for this October, and some bike rides I want to do. Eileen and I will then travel to California to visit with our son and future daughter-in-law; meet her family; see their west coast home which they just renovated after the fire last year; and help with the olive harvest at her parents' small farm. We'll do some premarital work for their wedding scheduled for next June, which I will officiate. Then when the snow starts flying, there are boxes and boxes of family photos to scan, poems to write, vanity books to publish, collected stuff to sort through and declutter. We'll travel to Arkansas in February for the annual APCE Conference. I'll visit my cousin while Eileen attends with her church educator friends, tour Heifer Farm International, and Fernwood, the training center for the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. There will be another garden season in the spring. We've booked a Viking river cruise from Amsterdam through Germany, and will attend the Passion Play in Oberammergau in August, which that town performs every ten years.
Like so many of you, we'll fill our days with meaning and purpose and the joy of living. May we all find our way in doing so. God bless you all!
Now after 14 months, it is time for me to fully retire. This Sunday will be my last leading you in worship. My final sermon this coming Sunday is entitled, "When Life Gives You a Red Light." While we get anxious to move on, you'll have to wait a bit longer. Details of the merger with First Presbyterian need to be finalized, aided by an Administrative Commission appointed by the Presbytery. The Pine Island and First Presbyterian Sessions have formally formed a transition team. This team will be meeting Wednesday afternoon as this message is being sent. The weeks to come will provide opportunity to get to know some of First Presbyterian's leaders a bit better, before a final decision and merger.
I thank you for providing me a transition toward a slower pace. This past year working part time, afforded me time to focus on my physical conditioning and health. I began a much more disciplined exercise routine with some tangible results. My blood pressure was 104 over 60 the other day in contrast to 142 over 92 last June. I'm now running as well as walking in the mornings, and reached a goal of 100 push ups and 50 sit ups. Last summer, I could do just a couple. I've lost a few pounds and gained a lot of muscle. I feel better and am stronger than I've been since coaching a church basketball team in Erie 23 years ago. I plan to continue a more active lifestyle in retirement. So thank you for this year of transition. Ministering with you has allowed me to slow down, and still be engaged with purpose. Now what?
What's next for me in my retirement? Eileen and I will remain in our home. We love it here. Our daughters are established here. I will volunteer with AACORN Farm where my daughter Leana works. This nonprofit organization provides support, community, and purpose for those living with autism. They raise goats, chickens and vegetables, engage in cottage industries of making soap and cheese with the goat's milk, sell the eggs and vegetables. They just bought 40 acres from Tillers International in Scotts, and moved in January. I've used some of my free time this spring to scrape and paint the corn crib and another small out building. The former is used to store their work tools, the later has been transformed into a farm stand for the sale of their produce and products. Neighbors can pick up fresh produce during the harvest season. The ambiance, smell and feel of sitting in the shade of the corn crib resting and eating lunch resonated deeply with me, calling me back to my roots, when I worked on such a small farm in my youth. I care deeply about sustainable agriculture. ACCORN has just broke ground for a new activity building. Presently they are utilizing space at Tillers International, their neighbor and partner organization for their program space. They will hold a fundraising gala at KIA, Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, 7 to 9 next Thursday, October 3. If you are interested in going, tickets are $35. Eileen will be one of the speakers, sharing what AACORN has meant to our family.
A few years ago while attending a CREDO retreat for executive ministers, when instructed to consider a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal), one which would require working with others, I knew that goal would have something to do with environmental stewardship. I have been gardening in my free time ever since. Volunteering with AACORN and Hope Garden will address that goal. Last week while hosting Jaff Bamenjo, we toured Tillers International. This also is an organization which shares my agricultural convictions and values. Tillers will also be on my volunteer radar.
Writing is a good discipline for me. I've enjoyed writing this blog. I'm considering writing a new blog, maybe with a focus on transitioning to retirement, or on gardening and spirituality.
I plan to be active politically for the 2020 election, canvassing to get out the vote. Our democratic responsibility as citizens is always important, too often taken for granted and dismissed. But has there ever been a more consequential election?
But before all that, I have some short term projects in mind at the house for this October, and some bike rides I want to do. Eileen and I will then travel to California to visit with our son and future daughter-in-law; meet her family; see their west coast home which they just renovated after the fire last year; and help with the olive harvest at her parents' small farm. We'll do some premarital work for their wedding scheduled for next June, which I will officiate. Then when the snow starts flying, there are boxes and boxes of family photos to scan, poems to write, vanity books to publish, collected stuff to sort through and declutter. We'll travel to Arkansas in February for the annual APCE Conference. I'll visit my cousin while Eileen attends with her church educator friends, tour Heifer Farm International, and Fernwood, the training center for the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. There will be another garden season in the spring. We've booked a Viking river cruise from Amsterdam through Germany, and will attend the Passion Play in Oberammergau in August, which that town performs every ten years.
Like so many of you, we'll fill our days with meaning and purpose and the joy of living. May we all find our way in doing so. God bless you all!
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